Election Day Rumor that needs to die, Voter ID Laws

quote:Obama won in every state that did not require a Photo ID and lost in every state that did require a Photo ID in order to vote.

It is just not true

States that Romney won that do not require ID:

North Carolina - Strict photo ID legislation was passed by the legislature in 2011, but vetoed by the governor. The legislature may try to override the veto in 2012. It has not passed as of 09-Jan-2013

Mississippi - In November 2011, Mississippi votes approved a constitutional amendment imposing strict voter ID requirements. This law was put on hold until after the 2012 election

Nebraska - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 but not enacted. Was not voted on in 2012 either

West Virginia - Voter ID was considered in 2011 and 2012, but not enacted.

Utah - Non-Photo ID required. Need one of the following: Current valid UT driver's license Current valid identification card issued by the state or federal government UT concealed weapon permit U.S. passport Current valid U.S. military ID card Bureau of Indian Affairs card Tribal treaty card Tribal ID card Two forms of ID that bear the name of the voter and provide evidence that the voter resides in the precinct

Oklahoma - Non-Photo ID required. Typically you must have a photo ID, but a voter registration card issued by the appropriate county elections board may serve as proof of identity without a photo ID.

Arkansas - Photo ID law was considered in 2011, but not enacted. Poll workers must ask, but only certain voters must show it. You will need one of the following: Current and valid photo ID Copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter

Alabama - Non-Photo ID Law in 2012, Photo ID law in 2014. For 2012 you needed one of the following: Government-issued photo ID U.S. passport U.S. military ID Employee ID card with photo Alabama college/university ID with photo Alabama hunting or fishing license Alabama gun permit FAA-issued pilot's license Birth certificate (certified copy) Social security card Naturalization document Court record of adoption or name change Medicaid or Medicare card Electronic benefits transfer card Utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or government document showing name and address of voter

Kentucky - Non-Photo ID Law. You will need one of the following: Driver’s license Social Security card Credit card

North Dakota - Non-Photo ID law. You will need one of the following: Valid driver's license or state ID card Valid passport or federal agency ID card Valid government-issued tribal ID card Valid student ID card Valid U.S. military ID card Utility bill dated 30 days prior to election day with name and residential address Change of address verification letter from U.S. Postal Service

Texas - Texas passed a strict photo ID requirement in 2011. The federal court vetoed it. You will need at least one of the following: Driver’s license Department of Public Safety ID card A form of ID containing the person’s photo that establishes the person’s identity A birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes the person’s identity U.S. citizenship papers A U.S. passport Official mail addressed to the person, by name, from a governmental entity A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the person’s name and address Any other form of ID prescribed by the secretary of state

Montana - A strict photo ID bill was passed in 2011, but vetoed by the governor. You will need one of the following: Driver’s license School district or postsecondary education photo identification Tribal photo identification Current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, notice of confirmation of voter registration, government check, or other government document that shows the elector's name and current address

Alaska - Non-Photo ID required. Need one of the following: Official voter registration card Driver's license Birth certificate Passport Hunting or fishing license Current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document with the voter’s name and address

New law (effective in 2013):South Carolina driver's license Other form of photo ID issued by the SC Dept. of Motor Vehicles Passport Military ID bearing a photo issued by the federal government South Carolina voter registration card with a photo

Missouri- Non-Photo ID required, need one of the following: Identification issued by the federal government, state of Missouri, an agency of the state, or a local election authority; Identification issued by Missouri institution of higher education, including a university, college, vocational and technical school; A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, government check or other government document that contains the name and address of the voter; Driver's license or state identification card issued by another state.

Arizona - Non-Photo ID required, need one of the following: Valid Arizona driver's license Valid Arizona non-driver identification Tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification Valid U.S. federal, state or local government issued identification Utility bill dated within 90 days of the election Bank or credit union statement dated within 90 days of the election Valid Arizona vehicle registration Indian census card Property tax statement Vehicle insurance card Recorder’s Certificate

re: Election Day Rumor that needs to die, Voter ID Laws(Posted by carbola on 1/12/13 at 1:12 pm to carbola)

Conversely for Obama: States that Obama won that do not require ID:

Vermont - Only first time voters who registered by mail need show ID.

New York - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 and 2012 but not enacted.

Maryland - Voter ID legislation was considered but not in enacted in 2011 and 2012. Typically met during registration which must include DL number or SSN. However, you must present ID if you registered by mail after 1-Jan-2006 or did not have a DL or SSN or if it is your first time to vote in Maryland.

California - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 but not enacted. Under both federal law and state law, voters must provide their driver’s license number if they have a valid and current driver’s license or the number provided on a California state identification card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. If they do not, they are required to provide the last four digits of their social security number. If they do not have a driver’s license number, state identification number or social security number, the state will assign them a unique number, which will be their identifier for purposes of voter registration. One election day, one must "Provide satisfactory proof" of identification. So technically, no ID required.

Massachusetts - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 and carried over into the 2012 legislative session. First time voters who registered by mail since 2003 and anyone on the list of "inactive" voters must still present ID.

New Jersey - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 and 2012, but not enacted. If you registered after 2003 and this is your first time voting and/or never voted in a federal election you must present ID

Illinois - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 and 2012. ID required if it is your first time voting and you registered by mail after 2003.

Maine - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 and carried over into the 2012 legislative session. No ID needed

Oregon - All election are done by mail. If you do not provide ID when registering you cannot vote in Federal Elections, only local.

New Mexico - Voter Id legislation was considered in 2011 and 2012, but not enacted. Only first time voters who registered by mail are required to show ID.

Minnesota - Voter ID legislation was passed by the legislature in 2011, but vetoed by the governor. Pending in 2012 as well. Outside of HAVA no ID needed.

Nevada - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 but not enacted. Signatures must much registration otherwise, ID needed.

Wisconsin - Strict photo ID law was passed in 2011, but it was held unconstitutional bya state judge on March 12, 2012. It is possible this will be overturned, but case has not currently been heard. In such, for 6-Nov-2012 elections No ID was required

Iowa - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 and 2012. ID only needed if you register on election day or inactive voter.

States that Obama won that require ID, but not photo ID:

Ohio - Photo ID legislation was considered in 2012, but not enacted. One of the following is currently needed in in addition to announcing your full name and current address: Current and valid photo identification, defined as a document that shows the individual’s name and current address, includes a photograph, includes an expiration date that has not passed, and was issued by the U.S. government or the state of Ohio Current utility bill Current bank statement Current government check, paycheck or other government document

Virginia - Photo ID legislation was considered in 2011 and 2012 but not enacted.

Colorado - Photo ID legislation was considered in 2011 and 2012 but not enacted. One of the following is needed: Colorado driver's license CO Dept. of Revenue ID card U.S. passport Employee ID card with photo issued by the U.S. government, CO state government, or political subdivision of CO Pilot’s license U.S. military ID with photo A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the elector Medicare or Medicaid card Certified copy of birth certificate Certified documentation of naturalization

Washington - All elections are done by mail. However the following are listed as valid IDs Valid photo identification, such as a driver's license or state identification card, student identification card, or tribal identification card A voter identification issued by a county elections officer, or A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, paycheck, or government check or other government document

Connecticut - Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 but not enacted. One of the following is needed: Social security card Any other preprinted form of identification which shows the elector's name and either the elector's address, signature or photograph

Delaware- Voter ID legislation was considered in 2011 and carried over into 2012. You need one of the following Photo ID Utility bill Paycheck Any government document with voter’s name and address

Rhode Island - Non-Photo ID law in 2012, Photo ID law in 2014. For 2012, identification is required at the polls. No eligible voter will be turned away at the polls. Voters who do not bring an acceptable ID to their polling place can vote using a standard Provisional Ballot. The ballot will be counted if the signature they give at their polling place matches the signature on their voter registration. Voter ID will be phased in over two election cycles. In 2012 and 2013, voters can also use a variety of non-photo IDs including a Social Security or Medicare card. Beginning in 2014, only Photo IDs will be accepted at the polls

District of Columbia - Need one of the following: Copy of current and valid photo identification Copy of a current utility bill (does not include cell phone) Bank statement Government check Paycheck Or other government document that shows your name and address

New Hampshire - Overrode governors veto of ID law. You can vote so long as you have ID or sign an affidavit.

Pennsylvania - After working it's way through the courts, a photo ID must be presented to vote. At lest that is what I was able to gather from this PA Voter ID Law- General FAQ. It appears that you have to follow "first time voter" procedures if you did not have a photo ID though. FWIW, Pennsylvania was offering free IDs and people were still saying it was restrictive.

TLDR: Pursuant to the federal "Help America Vote Act of 2002" (HAVA), if you registered to vote by mail in your county after January 1, 2003, and never voted in a federal election in the county, you were required to provide your county commissioner of registration with identification. This is a federal law.

ETA: These are the two primary links I used to put this together: LINK 1LINK 2

re: Election Day Rumor that needs to die, Voter ID Laws(Posted by LaBornNRaised on 1/12/13 at 4:25 pm to carbola)

Would love for New York and California to implementvoter id laws.

It's fricking moronic that in this day and age that a citizen shouldn't have to show two forms of id to vote. Not even just one! I do not know one law abiding country loving citizen that has a problem with showing id considering how easy it is for thieves to steal identities these days.

re: Election Day Rumor that needs to die, Voter ID Laws(Posted by carbola on 1/12/13 at 4:43 pm to LaBornNRaised)

quote:Would love for New York and California to implementvoter id laws.

I agree that there should be Voter ID Laws in all states.

It still doesn't change the fact that Obama won some states that require IDs and Romney lost some that don't. Just get tired of hearing the same old BS bashing of Obama. I'm no fan of the man and there is plenty to complain about without making up stuff.

Yeah, I don't get how people don't have to show some kind of i.d. Honestly, I never knew it was a thing until the 2008 election. I was always used to showing my license every time I vote. How do the people prove who they are? Every American should have some kind of picture i.d...

re: Election Day Rumor that needs to die, Voter ID Laws(Posted by RoJeaux on 1/12/13 at 9:00 pm to carbola)

I don't know how they say that is the law in Florida because I have never once had to show ID to vote and have never seen them ask for it during an election from anyone at the two different polling places I have voted at.

re: Election Day Rumor that needs to die, Voter ID Laws(Posted by Jimbeaux on 1/13/13 at 7:59 am to carbola)

quote:carbola

I have honestly never heard anyone make the claim that you have suggested. It must be some fringe loons who are suggesting that. You have put forth a lot of effort to dispell a rumour which few are discussing or even believe. It's the type of false claim that's so easy to disprove that I would think even the most ardent anti-Obama types would hesitate to repeat it if they had more than two brain cells.

Why are the Democrats so opposed to voter ID? Most people already have a state ID so you really don't have any expense. I never understood why the Democrats oppose this so much, unless they know that a lot of democrats vote illegaly.